


Revenge of the Non-Jedi

by osheamobile



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Bad Jedi's Club, Gen, Implied Angst, Mischief, Weasleys In Space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-13 22:36:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5719579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/osheamobile/pseuds/osheamobile
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a long, sleepless flight back to the First Order base, to General Hux's barely-lucid dismay.</p><p>Spoilers for The Force Awakens.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Revenge of the Non-Jedi

**Author's Note:**

  * For [oorsprong](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oorsprong/gifts).



Advances in technology may be exponential, but there is only so far you can push a hyperdrive before it blows.

Distance remains distance, no matter how many times you fold the fabric of space and time to your every whim. This was a fact of reality, immutable, in and out of hyperspace.

It was a fact of which Hux was forced to remind himself, over and over, the entire trip to the First Order's central stronghold.

"How much longer?" Ren growled, pacing back and forth. He had torn his sutures once more, the bonding agent holding his abdominal wound clearly not up to the standards of Jedi temper tantrums, and his blood dripped across the otherwise pristine deck of the shuttle.

"The same amount of time I gave you when you last asked, minus five minutes," Hux muttered, shifting over in his seat. He made a mental note to contact requisitions for crash couches that had more long-distance comforts.

"She needs a teacher. I need to train her. I need to-- I need to be  _better_."

Perhaps a reclining function. Adjustable cushion density. That would be nice.

"Hux! How could you  _lose her_? This is entirely your fault, and I will be reporting this to Snoke the moment we arrive."

He glanced over to where Ren was standing, seething over a pile of disconnected metal tubes and wires. It was a good thing, Hux realized, that Kylo Ren had immediately disassembled his lightsaber for maintenance when he first awoke, or else this tantrum may be affecting the structural integrity of the ship itself.

Hux paused a moment and considered the consequences of the shuttle imploding in the mottled blue unreality of hyperspace. His atoms being scattered across the quadrant might actually be preferable to withstanding another thirty hours in a confined space with the ravings of Snoke's apprentice.

"Increase our speed past the safety limiters!" Ren ordered. "She will be lost to the Light if I do not intervene! She needs-- I need to teach her."

Hux suppressed a groan. The boy was  _repeating himself_ now.

Twenty-nine and a half hours to go.

 

* * *

 

_Center. Focus. The strength of your passions lies within the darkness of your heart._

There were, Ren mused, similarities between Snoke's teaching methods and Skywalker's. The principles of meditation were the most common overlap - there were, after all, only so many ways to balance one's self with their emotions.

Where Unc-- where  _Skywalker's_ teachings focused on peace and tranquility, Snoke instead spoke of finding the deepest passions. Peace, after all, was a  _lie_ \- passion was strength. Strength was--

_stomp stomp stomp stomp stomp_

Plasteel boots marched down the corridor outside his chambers, disrupting his meditation. He shook his head and started over - if he could not perform these exercises in his stronghold, how could he possibly face Skywalker? He may as well hand That Girl over to the fool now.

Emotions gave  _power_ , and the stronger the emotion, the greater the power in return. Surface feelings only provided so much. Anger was Snoke's example - it was one that Ren took his own strength from.

Though a quick flash of anger may provide an edge in combat, its departure leaves only emptiness and vulnerability behind. To find the deeper well, one had to find the center, ignore the surface thoughts and embrace the tranquil fury that burns eternal.

Vader's hatred ran deep, Snoke said. Ren knew it to be true. His fam-- the traitorous smuggler and the Republic toady had told him all about his grandfather's legacy and the mark he left on the galaxy.

A brand seared into the fabric of the universe by the simmering furnace of rage.

Ren had the anger. He had the power. He just needed to awaken it--

" _Company... HALT! About face! Salute!_ "

Parade drills. The troopers were running parade drills. Down  _his_ corridor.

He grabbed his helmet and stormed through the door. Meditation would have to wait.

 

* * *

 

"Casualty reports?" Hux asked the captain of his infantry elite, ignoring how he had to angle his head slightly to meet her gaze. Phasma towered over most of the First Order, in stature as well as in presence, and even though his own height nearly matched hers, even though he was her superior officer, the soldier  _loomed_.

" _None severe enough to require rehabilitation, but I have three in Medical for fractured bones and two more being observed for concussions._ "

"Triple their hazard pay and put a commendation into their files."

Phasma inclined her head. " _Sir?_ " she asked, though her tone of voice made it less of a query and more of a command to explain himself,  _now_.

"Discipline must be maintained, Captain," said Hux, turning back to his terminal. "In every level of service. Every member of the Order is dependent on the engine running smoothly. When one piece breaks down, no matter how small, it compromises everything."

Phasma said nothing. She didn't need to.

"Continue running drills until further notice. Make it a mandatory exercise for your lowest-performing troops. You are dismissed, Captain."

There was a moment of silence, before Phasma saluted and marched out of the command center. Before the door closed, however, she turned to face Hux once more.

" _Remind me never to interrupt your sleep, General._ "

The door closed, and Hux turned back to the security footage of the lower chambers. His finger hovered over the command for an unscheduled evacuation drill, and he waited just enough time for Kylo Ren to settle back down onto his mat.

"Oh, believe me, Captain," Hux said to the empty air. "That is a lesson that will not be forgotten any time soon."

He pushed the button, and smiled.


End file.
